Can You Check Out of a Hotel the Same Day?
In most cases, you can check out of a hotel room the same day you check-in, and you don’t even need a valid reason for leaving.
You can also book the space for just a few hours at some hotels for a reduced cost.
But other establishments may charge you for an early departure.
Meanwhile, some rooms are non-refundable if you have already booked for several days but decide to leave early.
You may need to leave early for several reasons.
You could have a family emergency somewhere and need to get there in time. Or you are busy and only need the space for a short period, such as during a connecting flight layover.
However, hotel rooms have fixed check-in and check-out timings. Roughly, you should check in around 2 pm and leave the space by about 11 am the next day.
But is it possible to check in and out the same day? Can I inform the hotel that I only need the space for a short period and leave early?
Let’s take a look.
Can I Check Out on the Same Day if I Already Agreed to Stay Longer?
If you check out early, you may not get a refund for your stay, or you might even have to make an extra payment. But, other times, an early check-out does not involve paying any more money than for what you stayed.
Below we’ll go through some scenarios and what you can expect.
Scenario 1: You Have Prepaid for the Room, Either for a Day, a Week, or a Month
This scenario is where you intended to visit for a certain amount of time, but for some reason, you have to leave before you thought you would. Or you didn’t like the service, and you want to go somewhere else.
In this situation, you usually cannot expect a refund.
The hotel already has your money on their books, and you agreed to stay for a certain duration. And since you broke your promise, you can’t expect much sympathy when you suddenly cancel.
However, whether guests can get a refund largely depends on the hotel’s cancellation policy.
Scenario 2: You Booked the Room for Several Days but Haven’t Paid Yet
So, you checked in by informing the management that you intend to stay for a set amount of time, but you now want an early check out. What happens then?
Many hotels charge guests an early departure fee on their bill for an early check out if they haven’t paid in advance. They charge because they may have lost money if another guest wanted the bed you reserved, but the hotel had to turn them away.
Therefore, the hotel has lost money and wants to get some of it back by charging you an early departure fee.
But, again, you always want to check the hotel’s cancellation policy to find out if you will need to make any sort of payment.
Scenario 3: You Booked the Room for One Night Only, and You Want to Check Out the Same Day
This situation is mostly harmless for both parties.
You booked the space just for an overnight stay, so the hotel won’t mind if you request an early check-out. They also don’t care if you leave that night or early the next morning.
However, the reason the hotel won’t mind is that they will charge your bill for the night anyway.
They usually do this because a night is the minimum stay for most hotels. And the hourly rate of room booking will not apply here since you didn’t inform them beforehand.
Read Also >> Can You Have Visitors in Hotel Rooms?
Getting a Hotel Room for a Few Hours and Checking Out the Same Day
It used to be a hotel policy that the minimum booking available was an overnight stay. You used to have to pay for a night, even if you just wanted to freshen up.
But nowadays, businesses, including inns, have become more flexible to customers’ needs. So, if you have stopped in a city just for a couple of hours to see friends or family and then have to board another flight, you can book a room for day use.
In this case, you can just rest for a bit and then comfortably leave for the airport. This arrangement saves you from the dilemma of paying for a complete overnight visit but only staying for a short period.
However, not all hotels allow checking in for just a short time, so you should ask the hotel about their policy and possible fees before you book a room.
Can You Check-Out of a Hotel Room Without Informing the Front Desk?
It’s not mandatory to stop at the front desk when checking out. If you’ve already stayed for your intended duration, you can just leave the key in your room and walk out the front door without incurring extra fees.
Yet, if you require an early check out, you do need to stop at the front desk and inform them so housekeeping can arrange your space for the next guest.
Also, when you actually check out with hotel staff, you can examine the room charges on the final bill and make sure staff didn’t erroneously charge anything to your credit card. Thus, most travelers prefer checking out in person, even if it is not an early check out so they can see each hotel charge.
What Happens if I Check-Out Late?
Inns have strict check-in and check-out timings so that housekeeping staff can effectively perform their jobs.
Therefore, if you check out late, the hotel may make you pay for another day. But some hotel management can cut you slack and not charge you.
So, if you need to leave early, you should look at the hotel’s policy either online or at the front desk.
Read Also >> Special Requests You Can Ask for at a Hotel
Do Hotels Charge for an Early Departure?
Inns do not usually charge extra in the case of an early departure. But a hotel will rarely return the amount you already paid.
Also, if you had not paid them in advance and the reservation spanned at least a few days, the hotel may charge your bill for your entire reservation.
Conclusion
Checking out of a hotel the same day you checked in isn’t usually a big deal. But this option may be expensive since the hotel will charge you for at least one overnight stay.
Also, if you prepaid, the stay is probably non-refundable. Though, it really depends on the specific hotel policy.
We suggest checking out the hotel website on your phone or informing management if you know beforehand about your short stay. Thus, you can rent the space for just a few hours and not pay for a whole night.
